Patience is Key - Calgary, AB

Hello, I disliked my nose as long as i could...

9 Jul 2013

13 days post

Hello, I disliked my nose as long as i could remember it changing and I may have broken it when I was younger. I felt t was too large for my face in general and it had a bump. I was not exactly convinced that one day I would choose rhinoplasty but due to circumstance I decided this summer it was now or never. Telling my family was super hard on me. Nobody wants to tell other people about their biggest insecurity. And coming from a small conservative town having plastic surgery was definitely not normal. But mostly everyone took it really well. I made consulting appts with two doctors and had a very hard time deciding because of differences of cost but ultimately made my decision based on who I trusted more, and just seemed overall more skilled/ involved.

My surgery was on the 26th of June, I was freaking out a bit before but once I was getting prepped I calmed down. I woke up and felt claustrophobic because I had ice packs covering my eyes and I think I may have had a breathing mask or something on. Took me a little bit to adjust to breathing through my mouth but overall throat was not very sore and did not have much pain. I just felt like I had a headache, probably because of coming out of the drugs.

Got home and just took it pretty easy, but i noticed I started to bruise ASAP. It was a lot harder to eat than I had expected and pretty well had smoothies and apple juice for the first couple days. Second I swelled up to what I thought was the worst but days 3 and 4 were really bad. Very swollen in between my eyes and my forehead and my eyes were almost swollen shut. Changing the mustache bandage made me pretty woozy and I would shake every time because it was so gross an I was freaked out by the stitches and blood and because my tip was super high and looked pretty scary. Of course I told my doctor right before surgery I did my want a piggy nose, as she assured me she would not give me a piggy nose. I bruised really by and my eyes were all black by the second day. And stayed pretty bruised for about 6 days before it was getting noticably better. I kept the mustache bandage on for about a week jut cuse I couldn't stand looking at my nostrils, I was pretty darn worried for the first week that they would stay like that forever and I didn't know how I was going to get on with my life with a messed up nose. At this point i was completely regretting what i did. my doctor reassured me it was just swelling and would fall to a nice level. Thank goodness after about a week those feelings passed, definitely takes a huge tole on your emotions.

At a week I got my cast off, and stitches out, the stitches hurt pretty bad, like really long nose hair getting pulled out. I saw my new nose and was pretty happy. Was just worried about the tip being so high. My doctor then put a tape splint on which I have to keep on for a week. Which also hurt pretty bad because my nose was so tender. So it's a couple days before I et that off. I'm mostly excited about getting to wash my face!! I didn't wash my hair for the first few days and then graduated to taking short cool baths. I remember I felt pretty weak the first few days and mostly just rested in bed with lots of pillows. I've noticed my tip has started to fall, even if just a little so I'm sure it will just take time before its back to normal, that's the only thing I am feeling iffy about otherwise I think that I love my new nose. Can't wait to get back to normal although I'm a little worried about people's reactions, at work and people around town. Feel free to ask me any questions : )

2 weeks post op

13 Jul 2013

17 days post

Yesterday I got my tape split off!! Felt so good to be done with that itchy thing. Loving my nose so far even tho it is still pretty swollen. And am so relieved the piggy look is gone!!! All that worrying for nothing : )